


You Say My Name Like It’s Been on Your Lips (Familiar in Ways I Can’t Explain)

by gatorospreybethethunder (lnburoker)



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Except Snowy, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pally doesn't like it much, Pally is Soft but kinda dumb, They're all kinda dumb honestly, Tyler tries to meddle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-20 03:35:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20668637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lnburoker/pseuds/gatorospreybethethunder
Summary: Pally is thrilled for Tyler and Nikita being in a new relationship, he really is! It's just...he wants that too. That desire doesn't stop him from avoiding the subject with Jan, though, or from getting snappy when Tyler tries to help him fix that. Snowy, of course, has opinions about Pally's approach.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TylerAndAlexAndCeddyOhMy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TylerAndAlexAndCeddyOhMy/gifts).

> I definitely titled this after one of songs from the new Jonas Brothers album, mostly because I listened to it a lot while writing this, but partly because I was bitter about not being at their Tampa show when I chose said title 🤷🏼 It's not necessary that you listen to the song while reading the fic! (the song is Strangers in case you want the experience that I had while editing though)
> 
> Also, you definitely need to have some suspension of disbelief re: the amount of time training camp lasts & how long the majority of the team is in Tampa before they're required to be in order for this to make sense. C'est la vie and all that.
> 
> Slight warning: there is mention of a couple of trades that led to the end of relationships within the story. Previous injuries are also mentioned. The mentions are brief and don't go deep into things, but they're there.

“Okay, Nik and I just wanted to let everyone know that over the summer we talked a lot and we’ve decided to give dat—”

“FINALLY!” Alex exclaims before Tyler’s even finished his announcement to the locker room about his and Nikita’s new relationship status, the catcalls and hollering from the rest of the team almost drowning him out. “Pally, you sonofabitch why didn’t you tell us?!”

“Drej didn’t know either,” Tyler rushes to defend him, turning to Ondrej with a placating gesture, an apology clearly ready on his lips. Ondrej waves him off, pulling Tyler into a quick hug complete with back slaps. “Alex is right, you know,” he mutters when he pulls back, grinning when Nikita scowls at him while Tyler simply lets out a short laugh.

“Does this mean the Triplets boyband is finally broken up?” Alex leers, protesting when Steven cuffs him on the back of the head.

“Watch it bud,” Steven warns Alex quietly, coming over to ruffle Tyler’s hair and clap Nikita on the shoulder, letting them know how happy he is for them and that they have his and the team’s full support.

Ondrej observes Brayden quietly checking in on Alex with interest but leaves it alone for now. As much as Alex loves to give the rest of the team grief for anything even remotely resembling a relationship, he gets touchy if the rest of the team gives him the same treatment. Ondrej gets it. What Alex had with Andrej seemed like it might be once in a lifetime and even if a lot of the team was quietly expecting Su not to get re-signed, that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt for those involved. Having been one of the few people that Alex opened up to about the pain he felt when he and Andrej first decided that long distance wasn’t a good option makes Ondrej even more glad that Brayden seems to finally be acting on the giant crush he’s been so horrible at hiding for the past few seasons. After all, Alex deserves to be happy.

“Are quiet,” Nikita observes, suddenly right next to Ondrej. The only thing that keeps him from jumping is a lot of practice, because it used to be a personal mission of Nikita’s to see how high – and how often – he could get Ondrej to jump. “Okay?”

“Yes,” he says simply, appreciating it when Nikita simply nods. Tyler has always been the talkative one in their little trio, and with as much as he knows will change now that Tyler and Nikita have finally gotten their shit together, he’s glad that this, at least, will stay constant. Ondrej is sure that Tyler will force him to actually express exactly how he feels about his two best friends getting together at some point in the next few days, but if he has anything to say about it, there will be alcohol involved in that conversation so he doesn’t find himself minding much.

~~~

The thing is… he really doesn’t mind that Tyler and Nikita are together now, no matter how many different times and ways Tyler asks him about it over the next few days. He’s truly happy for the two of them; they’re his best friends so he obviously wants them to be happy, plus there’s the added bonus of not having to listen to each of them pine about the other. Well, with Tyler it was pining. With Nikita it was often just seemingly distressed Russian muttering while he cuddled with Snowy and forced Ondrej to watch endless House Hunters marathons even when Ondrej knew they’d seen the majority of the episodes before. He’s planning on hogging the remote when he hangs out with them from now on, is all he’s saying.

Despite that though, there is some lingering negative feeling that Ondrej can’t identify at first. When he finally figures out that it’s jealousy, he briefly starts freaking out before he realizes exactly what he’s jealous of. It’s not that he wants to be with Tyler (Ondrej would kill him before they ever got around to sleeping together if Tyler didn’t embarrass him to death first – he still blushes whenever someone brings up any of Tyler’s mic’d up videos from last season, which of course means they get brought up at least every other day and that Alex sends gifs to the team group chat whenever he’s feeling bored) or with Nikita (while he loves the guy as a best friend, Ondrej’s never been anything even approaching attracted to him) what he’s jealous of is the fact that they have each other, that they have a relationship. Ondrej wants that desperately, so much so that he can feel it like a physical ache at times. As annoying as it could get dealing with Tyler and Nikita being stupid about each other, at least it meant that the three of them were in the same boat, romance wise.

Of course, he hides this revelation from Tyler. He’s grateful that, even setting aside the fact that Tyler and Nikita are ensconced in a new romance and all that that entails, Tyler can be somewhat oblivious if he doesn’t expressly want to know something. Ondrej doesn’t want to make anyone else feel bad about figuring out their love life, he just…maybe wants to start putting more effort into figuring out his own.

But for right now, he’s going to focus on hockey. He’s determined to stay healthy this year and to show his teammates and the coaching staff that he deserves to still have an important role on this team. The way that last season ended is driving his teammates, and that’s definitely the case for Ondrej. More than that, though, the way that his whole past few seasons have gone is driving him. He tries not to read his own media – he’s heard the lectures and knows it never leads to anything good – but now he has more free time without Tyler constantly dragging him and Nikita all over town after every practice or dropping by unannounced with Reese to “let her and Snowy bond, Drej, c’mon!” and…he’s spiraled a couple of times. So yeah, the whole team has a chip on their shoulder, but Ondrej? He’s probably got a chip on each shoulder.

~~~

To be honest, those chips? They’re probably a large part of what leads him to start spending so much time with Jan. At first Jan is just…there. A lot. He gravitates toward Ondrej whenever he can on the ice or in the gym or whatever other locations they find themselves during camp and all the bonding activities that accompany it. And Ondrej does think he should try and make different friends – not because the Triplets were a boyband, fuck you Alex –because he can’t expect to constantly third wheel Tyler and Nikita. And honestly, he could benefit from branching out a bit.

Spending time with a countryman who he played with at Worlds over the summer might not be branching out far, but it’s something, Ondrej figures. So he agrees to grab food with Jan, to spot him during workouts, drinks with him at the bars Steven and the others corral everyone into visiting, invites him to come watch whatever is on his Netflix queue a few times. He finds that he enjoys spending time with Jan, that they’re both quiet and determined. Jan has some things to prove himself, with a D-core that seemed to change ever more the farther they got into the offseason. He’s quietly fierce and wants to show the coaches that the trust they put in him is warranted and he constantly asks Ondrej for advice and pointers about staying up in The Show, soaking up anything Ondrej is willing to share.

~~~

It takes Tyler longer than Ondrej expects to notice how much time Jan and Ondrej are spending together. Ondrej chalks it up to the new relationship he’s in – the honeymoon stage as Alex has so lovingly coined it. Once Tyler does figure it out though, he comes at the situation with a singleminded focus Ondrej hasn’t witnessed since he convinced the training staff to let him play through his broken wrist in the Cup Finals.

“Ondrej, the two of you are perfect for each other!” Tyler insists when they’re sitting down at lunch just the two of them the day before their first preseason game. It’s at least the tenth time today that he’s tried to start this line of conversation, but Ondrej no longer has an escape route.

“We are good friends,” Ondrej agrees, pretending that he doesn’t know what Tyler is insinuating. Sometimes if he plays dumb for long enough Tyler gets frustrated and moves on. It’s definitely been a useful trick in the past. He should’ve known that he wouldn’t be so lucky this time, especially with how many times he’s put off talking about this already.

“Drej, you know that I mean for dating,” Tyler scoffs, lowering his voice obligingly with a wince when Ondrej glares at him and glances around the restaurant pointedly. It’s 1:30 and the restaurant isn’t terribly crowded, but still. Ondrej doesn’t want some overzealous fan, or worse, a reporter, overhearing and posting something on social media. That doesn’t usually happen in Tampa, but you never know. “I’m serious!” Tyler insists, no less emphatic for his change in volume.

“I know you are,” Ondrej sighs, glancing up when the waiter stops by to refill their water glasses, thanking him quietly.

“Come on, it could be so great!” Tyler continues once the waiter is gone, gesturing animatedly. “I mean he already hangs around you all the time. It’s like he’s drawn to you or something.”

“That’s just because we were on the same team for Worlds,” Ondrej dismisses. “And he still doesn’t know that many people in Tampa.”

“Ondrej,” Tyler sighs, rolling his eyes as if his exasperation wasn’t clear enough from his tone. “That’s even more reason to ask him out! You already have a great foundation.”

“Tyler, can you just drop it?” Ondrej requests, unsure why he’s being so resistant. After all, he just recently figured out that he wants what Tyler and Nikita have, and yet here he is turning his back on even taking a chance at a relationship? Whatever the reason, Tyler’s persistence is really starting to frustrate him, and he just wants to eat his food and then go home so he can prepare for tomorrow.

“Come on Drej!” Tyler wheedles, ignoring Ondrej’s request completely. “Seriously, you’d be so cute toget—”

“I asked you to drop it!” Ondrej snaps, looking down at his silverware and fidgeting with it when Tyler’s face turns to shock. Ondrej can’t remember the last time he snapped at Tyler like that… or if he ever has. It’s clear that Tyler is confused…and hurt. Understandably so, with the way that Ondrej just bit his head off, but Tyler just wouldn’t stop!

“Fine, I will,” Tyler finally replies, the quietest Ondrej’s heard him speak maybe ever. Apparently it’s an afternoon for firsts.

“Thank you,” Ondrej forces out, leaning back slightly a moment later when the waiter places his entrée in front of him. He’s not sure he’s even hungry anymore, but he knows that he needs to eat.

They finish their meal in silence, Ondrej paying because it’s his turn based on the agreement that they set up all the way back during their time in Norfolk. Tyler barely speaks to him on the walk to their cars either, simply grunting in return when Ondrej says goodbye. Well fine then. If Tyler wants to act like a teenager about this, Ondrej can too.

~~~

Since it’s preseason now and they have actual hockey games taking up a lot of their time and energy, there’s no telling how long things may have dragged on between him and Tyler were it not for Nikita.

Ondrej startles when Snowy jumps off the couch he’d been dozing on in the middle of the afternoon, smiling when she lets out a soft woof just as the doorbell rings. He ruffles the fur on top of her head as he rises to answer it, a frown making its way onto his face when he sees who’s on the other side. “You need to talk,” is what Nikita says in place of a greeting, shoving Tyler forward a little. “Driving me crazy.” He crouches to pet Snowy, rising and following her to the back door once Ondrej steps back. “Let me know when you’re done, we can get food.”

Tyler huffs as the door to the yard closes behind his boyfriend, crossing his arms and looking at Ondrej. “He’s right, you know.”

Ondrej looks at Tyler for a moment before nodding. “I know. I’m sorry for snapping at you.”

“Thanks,” Tyler says with a small smile. “I’m sorry for pushing. Talking about it with Nik helped me see I might not have been…well I was being kind of an ass.” His grin widens at Ondrej’s chuckle.

“Why is this so important to you?” Ondrej asks after a few moments.

“Because,” Tyler begins softly after a short silence. “You’re my best friend, Drej. I just want you to be as happy as I am right now.” Ondrej remains silent, simply smiling softly back at Tyler and tipping his head to acknowledge the genuineness in his tone. “Besides,” Tyler adds with a smirk, “No one else will double date with me and Nik.”

Ondrej rolls his eyes. “That’s because the two of you are gross together.”

“Shut up we are not!” Tyler protests.

“How much have you already gotten fined this week?” Ondrej retorts pointedly, smirking when Tyler simply pouts and pretends to check his phone. “That’s what I thought. Alex told us why Bray couldn’t look at you and Nikita for a week after the first day of camp, you know.”

“Well maybe Bray should mind his own business,” Tyler shoots back, though he flushes bright red.

“Mmhmm,” Ondrej placates him with a shake of his head, pulling Tyler in for a quick bro hug before tilting his head toward the door. “Should we tell him we can go get food now?”

Tyler glances at his watch, rolling his eyes. “I don’t know why he said that, we had lunch an hour before we came here.”

“He must not have much faith in us,” Ondrej smirks, chuckling when it makes Tyler scowl and head toward the back door to confront his boyfriend. He’ll give it a few minutes and let Nikita sweat before he goes to play referee.

~~~

After that things get into a steady rhythm. The regular season is starting soon and everyone is laser focused on hockey and bonding as a team. He still spends time with Jan, grabbing food with him and continuing to trade off picking movies to watch on Netflix, but things don’t go anywhere in terms of romance. Tyler has somehow simultaneously toned it down and become more obvious, clearing his throat pointedly at times when he notices Jan and Ondrej together, then affecting an innocent look when Ondrej glares at him. During one practice it gets to the point where Coop asks Tyler if he has an upper respiratory infection, something that Ondrej needles Alex into chirping Tyler about for ages.  
As for Ondrej, he’s finally figured out his resistance to making a move with Jan. Yes, he wants that relationship, what Nikita and Tyler have, but he’s also terrified to find out that it’s simply not possible for him. He hasn’t been in a relationship for so long, he doesn’t want to start one with Jan just to find out that he’s horrible at it. It may be stupid, but keeping Jan at a comfortable distance for now is definitely his plan.

~~~

The fact that things end up coming to a head largely because of his dog and an offhanded comment from his captain…well it’s kind of poetic in a way.

The whole team is at Steven’s house because he insisted that Trigger has been bored as of late and they needed to have a barbeque where all the team dogs attended. Misha also brought his cat, but Ondrej has steered clear of that potentially hilarious scenario because while Snowy is generally friendly with cats, for some reason when Snowy and Reese are together and spot a cat all hell breaks loose.

Ondrej is seated at a table in the yard with Tyler and Nikita, trying to decide if he wants to grab another burger or if he should just be happy with what he’s already had, while idly playing tug of war with Snowy. Eventually he tires of it, tossing the toy for Snowy to go after and trying to tune back into the conversation that Tyler and Nikita are having.

“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Snowy get along with anyone other than you or Tyler that well,” Steven comments offhandedly on his way past their table into the house a few minutes later, clapping a hand on Ondrej’s shoulder and gesturing over to Jan wrestling playfully with Snowy. “Anyone need anything?” He continues on when they all assure him that they’re fine, calling for Victor to make Harry leave Trigger alone. Ondrej sniggers at the way Victor rolls his eyes but still complies with Steven’s demand. He jumps a bit when he turns back to the table and Nikita is glaring at him.

“What?!” he demands, glancing at Tyler to see if he knows what Nikita’s problem is. Tyler simply smirks, pulling out his phone and leaving Ondrej to fend for himself. Some best friend he is.

“Snowy like him!” Nikita insists while gesturing to Snowy and Jan, his frustration coming through in his tone and his accent becoming more noticeable. “YOU like him!”

“Babe, I thought you were staying out of things?” Tyler asks mildly, his ever-widening smirk the only hint that he’s enjoying this.

“Shut up you two, he’s right there!” Ondrej hisses.

Tyler starts to reply, but then his eyes widen, causing Ondrej’s stomach to tighten with dread. “Oh hey, Jan, what’s up?” Tyler asks, going for innocent and missing it by a mile. Actually, innocent is probably back in Spokane where Tyler grew up – he’s been a little shit the whole time Ondrej’s known him.

“You like me?” Jan murmurs, touching Ondrej’s shoulder.

“I…” Ondrej starts, unable to finish. He smiles weakly, shrugging a little.

“That’s what Kuch just said, he said that you like me,” Jan says, more confident now. Ondrej can feel his face turning bright red, worse than coming off the ice after a game.

“We’re gonna go find where Reese managed to get off to,” Tyler says quickly, getting up and tugging Nikita along with him.

“Ondrej?” Jan asks after a few moments of awkward silence.

Ondrej manages to look up at him, but it’s as if he’s lost his voice. “I…” is all he can manage once again, fidgeting nervously.

“Okay, I’ll start,” Jan decides, a sudden confidence overtaking him as he pulls over the chair Nikita had been using and takes a seat. “I like you. Obviously in a friendly way, but also in a romantic way. And if I’m reading this wrong or misheard Kuch, that’s fine, but I think that this could be really great if we were willing to give it a try.”

“Me too,” Ondrej finally manages to admit, blushing even brighter at the megawatt smile that Jan flashes at him. “I’m sorry, I just…I’ve been so nervous.” He knows he’ll likely need to expand on that further, but for now it will do. It’s hardly a lie.

“That’s okay,” Jan replies. “I’m nervous too. But I think it will be worth it, no?”

Ondrej smiles broadly as Snowy makes her way up to them, ignoring him completely to place her head in Jan’s lap. “Yes, I think it will.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sex, duh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't written a scene like this in a while so read at your own peril 😅

Several weeks later

“I hate you,” Tyler mumbles as he sets his plate down on the table across from Ondrej, glaring at him.

Ondrej glances up in surprise, looking at Jan next to him and seeing the bewilderment he’s sure is on his own face reflected back at him. “…why?”

“Beds on same wall. Could hear headboard hitting it,” Nikita mutters as he slouches into the seat next to Tyler, burying his face in his arms and groaning when Tyler pokes him. “Stop.”

“Oh…” Jan manages after a moment, face bright red, but unable to hide his smile. “Sorry about that.”

“He took a page out of your book, Johnny,” Brayden comments with a smirk from the other end of the table.

“You’re lucky you’re good at hockey,” Tyler shoots back while flipping him off before turning back to Ondrej and Jan. “Seriously, I’d be impressed if it hadn’t kept me from getting any sleep.”

“What can I say?” Ondrej says with a shrug, deciding that pretending to be blasé about the whole thing is likely the best way to get Tyler to drop it. Besides, it had been some great sex, there was nothing to be that embarrassed about.

“That you won’t do it again would be great,” Tyler returns dryly, stroking a hand through Nikita’s bedhead. “I fixed your coffee for you babe.”

Nikita lifts his head long enough to grunt his thanks and take a long drink of coffee before returning to the same position, causing Tyler and Ondrej to grin at each other. Some things never change.

~~~

“So…it seems like last night we might have caused a disturbance,” Jan hints when they got back to the hotel room later that day to get ready for their pregame naps.

“Yes,” Ondrej agrees, glancing over his shoulder from where he was dropping his shirt in his suitcase. “Does it bother you that Tyler and Nikita heard?”

“No. Just disappointed that we can’t have a repeat right now,” Jan replies, looking Ondrej up and down very obviously.

Ondrej shudders under his gaze, biting his lip. “I don’t think I got all the way clean at the rink,” he manages to say, drifting toward Jan. “Care to join me in the shower?”

“I like the way you think,” Jan murmurs, closing the gap between them and kissing Ondrej so thoroughly that he forgets what they had been planning on doing. “Shower?” Jan prods with a chuckle when he pulls back, laughing outright when Ondrej nods furiously and immediately makes his way to the bathroom.

They make out leisurely against the bathroom counter for a while waiting for the water to warm up enough for them to get in. Once they’re both in the shower, Ondrej pulls Jan close once again, deciding that continuing to kiss sounds like a great idea. Jan is a little less patient, reaching down and getting a grip on Ondrej’s cock almost immediately. Despite the water, it’s a little dryer than Ondrej would prefer but then Jan squeezes slightly and slides his tongue in Ondrej’s mouth and that all ceases to matter. Ondrej groans helplessly, leaning back against the wall and moving his hips in rhythm with Jan’s hand.

“You like that babe?” Jan pulls away to whisper in his ear. Ondrej nods but quickly seeks out Jan’s mouth again, needing to feel that closeness. He can tell he’s rushing toward a fantastic orgasm and somewhere in the back of his mind he feels badly that he’s not doing anything for Jan right now but that part of his brain is quickly getting shut down with the way that Jan continues to stroke him just the way he likes. He’s adding a little twist when he gets to the head every time and Ondrej’s starting to get desperate, pulling back and babbling nonsense because he just needs to come already. That’s when Jan leans in again and bites down on Ondrej’s earlobe, tugging just so. It’s so unexpected that it’s just what he needs to push him over the edge and he shoves his fist in his mouth so that he’s not too loud when he comes, shaking and clutching onto Jan so he doesn’t wipe out in the shower.

He’s not sure how long it takes him to come back to himself, but he can tell that the water has gotten cooler. “Hey babe,” Jan murmurs, kissing him softly and grinning when Ondrej simply smiles back sleepily in response. “How about we get out now, the water is cooling off pretty quickly.”

“But you didn’t…” he’s cut off by another kiss.

“Doesn’t matter,” Jan assures him when he pulls back, smiling softly at Ondrej. “Come on, let’s dry off and get to bed."

Ondrej allows Jan to help him dry off and slip on some boxers, still feeling a little weak from the orgasm despite the time that’s passed. When they’re settled in bed together, facing each other on their sides, Ondrej feels something bubbling up inside him. “I love you,” he blurts before he can overthink it, aware that it’s rather early but also as certain as he’s been about anything in a long time.

Jan beams back at him, leaning forward to kiss Ondrej thoroughly. “I love you too,” he mumbles against Ondrej’s lips, pressing one last kiss there before pulling back and closing his eyes. “Go to sleep now though, we have a game tonight.”

“Yes miláček,” he murmurs back as he falls into a sleep more peaceful than he could have imagined just a few short months ago.

**Author's Note:**

> There are admittedly some not so subtle digs at some of the offseason moves that were made this year in this story - what can I say, they just flowed with the snark 😂 Honestly though, I just love Soft Pally & Tyler but wanted to come about it from a different angle. I loved writing this and it helped heal the wound from the end of last season a bit. Hope this is what you were looking for from your fic TylerAndAlexAndCeddyOhMy!


End file.
